We were very sorry to hear of the recent passing of Mr John Miell (OE1943-44) who attended Emanuel during the Second World War. Initially John was evacuated to Brighton in 1939 and had a spell staying with family in Torquay whilst the Blitz raged. In a previous reminiscence, John recalled “roaming the streets looking for shrapnel”.
Emanuel reopened in 1943 and whilst the rest of the school remained evacuated in Petersfield, John was one of the first intake of 140 boys and a member of Marlborough House. Due to the war, John missed some education but believed the Tutorial Classes led by Lt. Col. Charles Hill helped get him “back on track”. Even though John had a relatively short spell at Emanuel, it was a happy one and by December 1944 he was ready to join the workforce.
John was recruited by a private bank as a junior clerk, whilst bombs were still dropping on London, before joining the Royal Navy a few years later, enlisting as an electrical apprentice attending Royal Navy Electrical School. He met his wife in 1949 and from 1950-52 was drafted to HMS Belfast, a cruiser which saw action in the Korean War where John served. He left the Navy in 1955 and obtained a government scholarship to study engineering, whilst remaining a Navy reservist for many more years.
Starting out as an engineering draughtsman, he was quickly promoted to Design Engineer and in the late sixties was elected a Chartered Mechanical Engineer whilst working on the Concorde project. John returned to the Royal Navy with the rank of Lt. Cdr until 1982 and served with a young Prince Charles, now King Charles III. In the final spell of a fascinating career, John worked for a firm of consulting engineers as a draftsman before his retirement.
John was a life member of the Old Emanuel Association (OEA) with many friends and loved spending time at Blagdons, either watching or playing cricket. His widow also has fond memories of afternoons knitting and meeting friends at the ground. John enjoyed keeping in touch with OE friends and was always happy to make new ones. When stationed abroad he was keen to meet up with alumni. In 1970, a letter of his appeared in an early OEA magazine: “I am now back in the Royal Navy as an Engineer Officer and styled as: – Lieut. J.R. Miell, R.N. In a few months’ time I am due to leave for a spell of duty in the Far East so if there are any OEs out that way – Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and possibly Australia – I will endeavour to make contact. I shall be serving aboard H.M.S. Intrepid and should be in the Orient for about twelve months from July. I hope people living in those parts may read this and contact me”.
In 1991, John’s wife died of cancer. After five years as a widower, he met an ex-music teacher, Kay, who was also connected to the military services, and they remained happily married for many years until his death. Kay informed us that John was buried with full military honours, with the last post being played and flags at half-mast in recognition of his Naval service.
John leaves behind family and many friends, to whom we send our sympathies.
Tony Jones, Archivist